Sad news on UP crash in Arkansas

It was evident that there was no activity (throttle movement, whistle, etc.) for the period of time the train approached and passed the yellow signal at the entering end of the siding. The next action recorded was an emergency brake application made at high speed.  This is from the FRA/NTSB accident report.

By the way, this occurred only a hundred or so miles from my home.  Several days after the wreck happened, I had to go to Emporia, KS, and decided to "take the Rock Island instead of the Santa Fe" (drive vis US Highway 54 instead of by US 60).  They had moved the wreckage out of the way and the main track was again open.  The least damaged of those engines were badly wrecked and the worst were unrecognizable.  It was a really bad wreck.

I'm very curious.  When an engineer sees a situation developing where he or she knows a collision is imminent....where do they go?  Do they stay up front and risk death or is there a location on the locomotive that can protect them from the collision.  Sorry if the question sounds stupid...but I see the pics from the vid and the whole cab is mangled...how anyone could survive that is beyond me.  Also, I suspect they don't jump out of a moving train....just curious.

If you watch the Collision video posted the Engineer of the other train (the one without the camera) jumps before the crash.

Concerning the sleeping crew on the BNSF vid:

I thought there were "dead man" and "alerter" protection devices in locomotive cabs which would stop a train in case no reactions from the crew.  But even with that, if the vid train was too close, a cornfield meet was still possible.

An experienced Engineer, that is sleep deprived, is capable of resetting the alertness control, even while "sleeping", since his sub=conscience state will keep doing the tasks that he "normally does" anyway. 

There is not a one-size-fits-all answer for this.  It depends on how fast you are going, where you are, and how much time you have.

I was in one wreck.  I was on a helper engine returning to San Bernardino from Summit, running light (just 2 GP35's). At the bottom of the hill, coming ito San Bernardino, there was a short section of non-signaled track through the depot, and the best signal indication going into it was Restricting.  I was getting close to that signal when a UP train running the opposite direction on the adjacent track had a violent run-in of slack and I saw cars jumping out of his train onto my track right in front of me.  My speed was below 30, but there was no time to jump, so I put the automatic brake valve in the Emergency position, immediately got out of the Engineer seat, and laid flat on the floor in the middle of the cab with my feet against the front wall and my knees slightly bent.  I survived uninjured, although we hit derailed cars and more wreckage hit us before everything came to a stop.  But that would not have worked everywhere.  I tried to have a plan at all times in case the worst happened, but sometimes you just have to do something and make the right decision based on what you know.

Another time I was involved in a yard collision at low speed.  I was on RS1 2394, going down the X Yard lead at 10-15 MPH, but with a heavy cut and only 2 cars of air, when another train backed out onto the lead, and, once again, right in front of my engine.  Couldn't stop, naturally, and that time I jumped out of the cab window and ran impressively fast, as I thought the engine might turn over.  It didn't.  Instead, the waycar on the train that fouled the lead turned about half way over.

Actually, the conductor on that train jumped. He broke his leg severely. The engineer decided to ride it out.

It's a call you gotta make on your own, and there's usually not a lot of time to decide, or factor in all the variables. Jump or stay on???? I'd say the biggest factor is how fast are you going. Then.. is it going to be a direct hit, or off to the side like the video that was posted? 

 No signal system or human is fail prof on the railroad or any mechanized form of transportation.Or you wouldn't hear of a plane crashing a train derailment or a boat sinking,it's built by humans it will break or fail.

 Prevention in the form of repeated training helps,but is only as good as the one trained,wants to use it.

 I've seen on several occasions in the last 24 years where people had no where to go but in the floor or out the door,or off the car.It happens,it always will.But one has to stay aware of his/her surroundings,by listening to the radio and all eyes ahead.

 I was wondering tonight as I ran a time freight shuffle about all the new technology the railroads are putting in front of us such as the NS's leader system.I hate it !

 When in a day of the FRA and the carriers wanting all the devices such as cell phones ,tablets and such turned off because of the danger,and yes I 100% agree,they stick another brightly lit up screen such as the LEADER right in front of our faces to see and hear,or should I say annoy and distract us from doing our job safely.

 It seems lately the more technology that's introduced the more I hear of accidents taking place.I like running the old way,with my brain and not the brain of some computer that tries to tell me how.Probably programed  by someone who has never run a train in their life !

 I pray for the families of my fallen brothers on the UP .

quote:

they stick another brightly lit up screen such as the LEADER right in front of our faces to see and hear,or should I say annoy and distract us from doing our job safely.

Colin,
As much as I miss it sometimes, I'm glad that I got out when I did! Call it "Devine intervention"!

Decert?  Meaning decertify?  Meaning you have to relearn the territory?

Frderally-mandated penalty for serious rules violations such as occupying the main track without authority, passing a signal displaying an aspect indicating Stop, etc.

During the period of decertification, the employee may not work in safety sensitive activities on any railroad.  That would cover any kind of work relating to the operation of trains or engines,  or direction of train movements.  On major railroads, that effectively means staying home until the period of decertification expires.  On short lines an employee might do mechanical or track work, building maintenance, clerical work, etc.